ABN AMRO has invited human rights organisation CoMensha to stage the travelling exhibition on Amsterdam’s Zuidas in an effort to help raise awareness of human trafficking.

Although ties between human trafficking and banks are not apparent, they do exist. Human traffickers are driven mainly by a desire to earn money, and banks play a role here. At some point the money enters legal channels, and this creates opportunities for tracking down human traffickers.

By collaborating closely with various experts, ABN AMRO is working to increase knowledge about this topic and enable closer monitoring of suspicious behaviour. Authorities like military and regular police forces and public prosecutors provide ABN AMRO with information on routes used for funnelling money into legal channels, sectors most likely to be involved in human trafficking and financial behaviour associated with these crimes. Missing links can be unveiled by sharing information intensively.

“We really must raise awareness in society, among our clients and within our organisation of the serious nature and the scale of human trafficking,” explains Maria Anne van Dijk, Head of Environmental, Social & Ethical Risk & Policy at ABN AMRO. “Being a large organisation, we have clout, we can increase insight into this form of abuse, and we can help tackle it. ABN AMRO is committed to making a serious contribution to the fight against human trafficking and hopes to inspire others to join in.”